Two reputable media outlets are reporting the same hot potatoe news story, with some variations: both The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline report that Disney has hired Simon Kinberg, best known for his work on Fox's X-Men movies and for co-creating the show Star Wars Rebels, to write a trilogy of new Star Wars movies. But the details differ. Deadline says that the new trilogy will be the next chapter in the "Skywalker Saga" and follow up directly on Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker, which ended with lead character Rey chrisening herself "Rey Skywalker." But The Hollywood Reporter says that the trilogy is explicitly meant not to be a continuation of the Skywalker Saga but will rather feature new characters and a new story, with the hope that it will take the franchise in a new direction.
But both sources say that it exists, which is something. Now is the moment where I point out that Disney has announced and then shelved lots of Star Wars movie projects in the past several years, including movies from directors Taika Waititi, Kevin Feige and Patty Jenkins as well as movie trilogies from The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson and Game of Thrones creators David Benioff and Dan Weiss. All of those were either announced or reported to be in development, and all of them look like they're dead in the water. There's no guarantee that this new trilogy won't meet the same fate.
Also, I want to point out that Disney isn't announcing this new trilogy; Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter have just found a source (or a couple of sources with conflicting information) and given us the info early. It's possible that Disney would have quietly developed this project in the background before deciding it wasn't a good idea to pursue it any further and letting it die. I know it's easy to look at something like this and go, 'Ugh, they really want to give us more Star Wars. Let the franchise breathe.' But I think that's a little unfair when they never intended for this information to get out in the first place. And if Deadline and THR are getting conflicting info, it can't be very far along.
But if this purported trilogy does go forward, I think THR's story makes sense. We know that Disney is already making a Star Wars movie that follows up on the events of the sequel trilogy, with Daisy Ridley returning as Rey. So why make a new sequel trilogy on top of that? You're set. And personally, if I'm gonna go back to the theater to see a new star war, I'd rather it show me something new.
At the moment, the next Star Wars TV show coming down the pike is Skeleton Crew, which comes out on Disney+ on December 3. That one is a family-friendly series about a bunch of teens and tweens who get stuck on a spaceship and have to find their way home. At the movies, Disney is working on The Mandalorian & Grogu, a follow-up to The Mandalorian TV show. That one is due out in 2026.
To stay up to date on everything fantasy, science fiction, and WiC, follow our all-encompassing Facebook page and Twitter account, sign up for our exclusive newsletter and check out our YouTube channel.
h/t The A.V. Club